BÄWIT

BÄWIT. - A locality in Middle Egypt near which the ruins of one of the most important monasteries of the early Middle Ages were discovered, that of Apa Apollo (cf. W. E. Crum, *Der hl. Apollo und das Kloster von Bavit*, in *Zeitschr. für ägypt. Sprache*, 40 [1902-1903], pp. 60-62; J. Clédat, in *Comptes Rendus de l'Acad. des Inscr. et Belles Lettres*, 45 [1902], pp. 525-46), who died in 395. The monastery is mentioned by Palladius and Rufinus. It was a double monastery, containing also a female cenobium dedicated to Ama Rachel. It lasted until about the beginning of the 10th century, when it was destroyed by the Muslims, who plundered it and took some of its sculptures to decorate the mosque of the nearby village of Dašlūt. In the center of the monastery stood two churches almost identical in plan, richly adorned with sculptures that are the most interesting examples left to us of Christian art in Middle Egypt (cf. E. Chassinat, *Fouilles à Baout*, Cairo 1911, volume of plates without text). But of even greater importance are the many paintings that adorned the halls and chapels, and sometimes even the cells of the monastery; these paintings depict not only Christian subjects but also scenes from the Old Testament (especially the story of David) and from ancient mythology, such as the myth of Orpheus. Other paintings depict entirely secular subjects, such as two hunting scenes. Innumereable are the painted or graffitied inscriptions, rich in information both on the cult and on the organization of the monastery.